President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto at a past meeting with Kamba leaders at Stat House. [Photo|PSCU]
Differences have emerged between Jubilee Party leaders in Ukambani region, ahead of October presidential election.The leaders have divided into three, threatening their party leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta's vote hunt in the region.The first group includes a team of three MPs elected on Jubilee Party tickets Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), and Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East).Other leaders in the group include Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Monica Juma, wealthy Peter Muthoka, Kenya’s ambassador to Turkey Kiema Kilonzo, former Kitui senator David Musila, and Sports Kenya chairman Fred Muteti.The second group comprises of Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Cleopha Mailu, Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua alongside other civil servants; while the third group is led by former Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu which has a group of leaders who lost on August 8 general election.On Monday, Daily Nation reported that Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto were unhappy with the infighting and supremacy wars.Monica Juma's group says it delivered all the votes Jubilee attained in Ukambani, and the three parliamentary seats, thus a reason to be seen as an asset to Jubilee.The differences played out on Monday September 11, when Uhuru and Ruto hosted section of Kamba leaders when Mailu was not given the chance to speak, despite being a senior Kamba official in Jubilee government.Mutambu and former MPs Kisoi Munyao, Katemi Makenga and Regina Ndambuki have positioned themselves to reap from their closeness with Kenyatta. They have accused the Muthoka group of messing up the Jubilee campaigns in the region, with Mutambu saying "non-politicians should not be generals in a political war because they may not understand the local dynamics."“Businessmen and civil servants are the best in mobilising resources and data but not the actual campaigns. Those who have run for political office should be tasked with leading Jubilee’s hunt for votes,” he said.On his part, Muthoka said he was approached by the same leaders before the August elections to help coordinate various campaign teams, in support for Kenyatta.“I have stuck my neck out for the president in this campaign, not for purposes of seeking cheap publicity but to build a strong united voice for the Kamba. Actually, they are the ones who came looking for me," said Muthoka, adding that the infighting was painting the Kamba in the bad light.